The ability to leave episode numbers blank would be useful for episodes that do not premiere sequentially and have an unknown ordering. This would be especially useful for episodes that have already premiered on a different network yet the ordering on the usual network is still unknown because the episode has not aired or been scheduled to air yet.
In regards to the network stuff, if it doesn't have a date on the normal network, it shouldn't have a date at all right? Since we're only supposed to be using the 'main network' with that stuff.
But I agree, leaving episode number blank would be useful, if for no reason than when episodes are scheduled and then replaced with another episode while not being rescheduled. That is the case with this week's episode of Schooled. Originally the episode "Money for RENT" was scheduled for the 23rd and now it's been replaced by "Tamagotchis and Bells" but Money for RENT hasn't been rescheduled yet... so we'd have to change the episode number to one that is incorrect or have to delete the the episode entirely.
kevin87 wrote:
In regards to the network stuff, if it doesn't have a date on the normal network, it shouldn't have a date at all right? Since we're only supposed to be using the 'main network' with that stuff.But I agree, leaving episode number blank would be useful, if for no reason than when episodes are scheduled and then replaced with another episode while not being rescheduled. That is the case with this week's episode of Schooled. Originally the episode "Money for RENT" was scheduled for the 23rd and now it's been replaced by "Tamagotchis and Bells" but Money for RENT hasn't been rescheduled yet... so we'd have to change the episode number to one that is incorrect or have to delete the the episode entirely.
If an episode doesn't air and is replaced by a different title, I normally will just edit TVmaze replacing the title with the episode that does air. But it still makes for a good argument for blank episode numbers especially for shows that are notorious for airing out of production order.
The situation I encountered involved a show changing from the app to the network mid-season. Episodes were not premiering in the same order on the network as they were on the app and one of the episodes in particular aired on the app but never even showed up on the schedule for the network. Therefore according to the policy, the episode ordering has changed and episodes that have aired on the app but have yet to air on the network have no episode airdate or number.
In the future what I may do is change these episodes to specials and keep the airdate set to the date that it aired on the app. Then when the episode is eventually scheduled to air on the network, change it back to a regular episode with the network airdate and episode number.
